Dear Friends,

Plymouth becomes the focus of attention for the nation during the Thanksgiving season. As a boy growing up in southeastern Ohio I first heard of Plymouth and the Pilgrims, both at school and at home, during the Thanksgiving feasts which have become a part of our national ethos. In fact, I remember having feelings of sympathy and admiration for the Pilgrims who survived that first winter on the ground that we call home. Little could I have imagined in my early childhood that I would one day be the pastor of the church whose first pastor was the brilliant and temperate John Robinson. I am truly humbled by the role into which providence has made me a player, albeit a modest player.

Of course, there is much about the national celebration of Thanksgiving Day which is the result of myth and misunderstanding. Most people who celebrate Thanksgiving are unaware of the complex backgrounds of those who were to be called Pilgrims in England and Holland before they arrived in what we locals now like to call "America's Hometown." In recent years, of course, the holiday itself has been somewhat chastened by those who represent the native peoples who use the holiday celebrations here to draw attention to the loss of their culture and lands to later European settlers in America. I have, personally, great sympathy with the native peoples who fairly represent their position and who do so with the benefit of accurate historical information.

Nevertheless, our mothers and fathers in Plymouth have a humble stature which rises above both those who sentimentalize them and those who detract from their remarkable achievements. Those who founded our congregation and the town were quite human and were themselves caught up in the religious, social and political controversies of their own day and time. Perhaps their most enduring legacy is that they had an integrity of spirit which has survived both their mythologizers and those who have assumed the role of being their de-mythologizers, rightly and wrongly.

The one unromanticized truth about the Pilgrims of which we can be certain is that they were mere human beings, every bit like us, who believed in the Word of God made "known to them, or to be made known, through the Bible. They believed themselves to be agents of Providence whose role it was to be a part of the establishment of a just church and society which could be seen by all the world as a "city set upon a hill." They sought humbly, yet confidently, to discern the will of God for them by mutual consent, a mutual consent which was the best means available to them to honor God.

The Church of the Pilgrimage is the heir of a covenantal faith, a compact, with the God whose will and Word struggles still to use our manifest imperfections to be but "stepping stones unto others" toward our intended holiness. It is this ongoing pilgrimage for which we are most humbly thankful.

Love,

© The Church of the Pilgrimage in Plymouth, MA Inc., all rights reserved.

CHURCH RECORD

Hospitalized: As of 11/19/02, Dorothy Shaw, and Dorothy Shepard, all at the Jordan Hospital.

Baptism:
On November 17, 2002, Re. Marks conducted a private baptism service for Jaden Lee Olson, son of Spencer and Chandra (Gosdigian) Olson.

In Memoriam:
On November 25, 2002 Rev. Marks conducted a memorial service for Linda Berry in the sanctuary.

THIS WEEK

Sunday, Nov. 24— Morning Worship 10:00 A.M., Rev. Marks Preaching. The Chest of Joash will be a part of the service. SERVV Sale in Allerton Hall following worship.

Monday, Nov. 25— Dan's Office Hours 9:30-11:30 A.M.; Aerobics - 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M.; Girl Scouts 6:00-7:30 P.M. Church House.

Tuesday, Nov. 26--Rev. Marks' office hours 9:30-11:30 A.M.; Dan's office hours 1:00-3:00P.M; Aerobics-6:45 P.M.-7:45 P.M.-Allerton Hall.; Advisory Board Meeting-7:00 P.M.-Mayflower Room.

Wednesday, Nov. 27— The office will close at 1:00 P.M. as it is a half/day for the Town of Plymouth Schools. Aerobics - 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. Allerton Hall; Staff Meeting-10:00 A.M.; Dan's office hours 1:00-3:00 P.M.; Troop 47 - 7:00-9:00 P.M. in the Church House; Cub Scout Pack 47 - 7:00-8:00 P.M. in the Church House; Choir Rehearsal - 7:30 P.M. Thanksgiving Eve Ecumenical Service at the Christ Church Parish, 149 Court St. Plymouth at 7:00 P.M.

Thursday, Nov. 28— "THANKSGIVING DAY"
"The Pilgrim's Progress" 10:00 A.M.
"Open House at the Church of the Pilgrimage"
10:00 A.M.-NOON
Interfaith Service at the First Parish Unitarian Church, at 10:00 A.M., Rev. Marks will be the preacher

Friday, Nov. 29—OFFICE CLOSED

Saturday, Nov. 30-- Overeaters Anonymous- 9:30-11:30 A.M.-Church House.

PLEASE NOTE

The Moderator, Steve Triffletti, has appointed Samuel E. Cruz-Bianchi to fill an unexpired term upon the Board of Trustees.

If you are interested in church membership, please call the church office or speak to Rev. Marks. We hope to have a series of three classes during Advent or the first party of January. The dates are dependent upon the pastor's schedule and of those who have indicated a desire to become members.

We thank the Stewardship Committee for the luncheon they provided on November 17th. It was a nice time to be together on a bleak and rainy day as we learned about our church's wide-ranging ministry.

The Chest of Joash will be a part of our Sunday service. We hope that you will be present to take part in the service and to place your pledge card into the chest, if you haven't already turned it to the church office.

Usually there are increased requests for aid made through the ministers or church office in the weeks preceding Christmas. If you wish to help, you may make a donation to the Pastor's Discretionary Account.

Rev. Marks has been selected to receive The Distinguished Mayflower Scholarship Award by the Pennsylvania Society of Mayflower Descendents. The award will be received on January 25, 2003 in Philadelphia.

Please remember any information you wish to be included in The Pilgrimage Herald must be submitted to the church office on the Monday prior to any given Sunday.

Please call the church office or let the ministers know if you or someone you know is presently or soon to be hospitalized. This information is especially important to receive in the case of out-of-town hospitalizations.

Give God the Best! This Sunday is Stewardship Sunday!

Please bring your pledge cards to put in the Chest of Joash. Our tradition of using the Chest of Joash on Stewardship Sunday is based on the book of 2 Kings, Chapter 12. King Joash reigned over Israel around 800 B.C.E. He wanted all the money coming into the Temple to be used for its repair. The King ordered the priests to allocate all income to this, however after 23 years no repairs had been made. Joash repeated his request and one priest followed. The priest got a chest, cut a hole in the lid and placed it at the right side of the altar. As the chest filled with coins the money was collected by the King's secretary and given directly to those working on the repair of the Temple. The story demonstrates Joash's fidelity to the worship of the Lord through his choice to repair the Temple. As we prepare our pledge cards, let us all think of how our resources may be used for the work of the Lord. Please Give God the Best as you pledge. Remember to write out on your card how you would like your funds allocated between our local expenses/congregational ministries and our benevolences/Church's wider missions.
Stewardship Committee. Again, if you have any questions contact Julie Sears.

The new fax number is (508) 746-4362. This number is also noted on the header of the Herald.

Rev. Marks office hours during the next weeks will be variable because of many preparations for which he has accepted responsibility on behalf of the church. He can be reached by calling the church office.

SERRV Sale November 24th in Allerton Hall (Sales Exchange for Refugee Rehabilitation Vocations. Sale of handcrafted items made from cooperatives in third world countries for self-help of the underprivileged of the world. SERRV ensures the artisans are paid a fair wage for their wares. Please keep this date in mind and bring your Christmas list! Thank you. The Missions & Outreach Committee.

Women's Fellowship Holiday Party-December 2nd at 6:00 P.M. in Allerton Hall. We will have a Yankee Swap. If you would like to participate, please bring a gift costing not more than $10.00 (joke gifts are okay). We will also have a potluck dinner. Persons whose last names begin with A-M please bring a main dish. N-Z please bring a salad or appetizer. If you have any questions, please call Marna Blomberg at (781) 826-2543.

Family Craft Night - Wednesday, December 4, 2002, 6:30 P.M. in Allerton Hall. Enjoy a family evening with a story, snack and a holiday craft project. Projects are $5.00 per child, designed for children ages 2-6 or 6 and up. Please specify which age child when registering. To register contact Stephanie Gray at (508) 830-6840 or msgray@adelphia.net.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth is seeking volunteers for gift wrapping and running the children's train at the Independence Mall in Kingston. The train will be running from December 15 to December 20, and gift wrapping will be December 14 and December 21. If you would like to volunteer for either of these events, please all Nancy Morse at (508) 746-5213. Thank you.

Special thanks to those who contributed to the success of the Country Store Table at the Harvest Fair. A big thank you to Susan Cotta for her donation of the cheddar cheese and dill pickles and all that wonderful handmade soap from Debbie Porter. We became famous with those fabulous preserves, whoopee pies, candy and hot chocolate bags. Thanks, ladies, to those who worked at the table, for all the wonderful gifts of love brought in, and to you, Diana, for your leadership. Shirley Axon.

Children's Service will be held on December 1, 2002 at 10:00 A.M. in the Church House.

Greeters are needed for December 15, 22 and 29. Please call the church office to sign up!

Coming Events

Dec. 1 The First Sunday in Advent. Pilgrim Festival Chorus in the sanctuary at 4:00 P.M.

Dec. 5 Interfaith Council Meeting, Noon.

Dec. 15 Christmas Family Dinner. Look for more information in next week's Herald.
follow in future Herald).

BULLETIN BLOOPERS

"When choir begins to sin, elders return to the table, east elder places his wine try in center and west elder places his tray on top."

(Taken from churchsecretarytoday.com)

Clerk - Lois Post; Moderator - Steven Triffletti; Treasurer - David Kegel; Collector - Thomas Mudgett; Asst. Collector - Debbie Chaskes; Music Director - William B Richter; Secretary - Pam McNicholas; Sexton - Tony Nightingale; World Mission Emphasis - Heifer Project International; Church Building Telephone - (508) 747-1341.